Mail-box fastener.



PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905.

E. F. WALLACE. MAIL BOX FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 10, 1905.

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UNITE STATES PATENT GFFICE.

WIAlL-BOX FASTENER- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1905.

Application filed January 16, 1905. Serial No. 241.326.

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMILUS F. ALLAon, of Syracuse, in the county ofOnondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Mail-Box Fasteners, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying; drawings, is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to improvements in mail-box fasteners of theclass set forth in my allowed application, Serial No. 210,501, filed May31, 1904:, and allowed July 30, 1904. In both cases one of the fasteningelements is secured to a post or other suitable support and providedwith opposed shoulders,- while another element is fastened to the boxand has sliding interlocking engagement with the fixed element and islooked in place by a third element, which is accessible only from theinterior of the mail-box and is movable into and out of position betweensaid shoulders.

I have found that it is desirable, if not necessary, to relieve thestrain upon the looking element and also to add additional bracingstrength to the fastening and at the same time to further protect thefastenings from malicious interference.

My object, therefore, is to relieve the strain on the movable lockingparts and to add to the general strength and safety of the fastening.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical sectional view through the rearwall of a mailbox and my improved fastening therefor. Fig. 2 is atransverse sectional view taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rearface view in perspectiveof the detached fastening-plate, which is to besecured to a post or other support. Fig. i is a perspective view of thedetached locking element. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the dovetailedplate, which is secured to the bottom of the letter-box.

Arepresents the rear wall of a mail-box, and B is asupport to whichthemail-box is to be fastened, the fastening device consisting,essentially, of two upright metal plates 1 and 2 and a locking member 3.

The plate 1 is permanently secured to the rear face of the wall A bysuitable fastening means, as bolts or rivets 4, and is provided with avertical dovetail groove 5 and a transverse slot or opening 6, which isregistered with a similar slot or opening 7 in the wall A.

The dovetail groove 5 is formed between vertical ribs 8, which convergetransversely and rearwardly from the upright edges of the plate 1, andthe top of this plate is usually ofi'set rearwardly to form a hood 9,which overhangs the top of the groove 5 to prevent the entrance of rain,snow, and other foreign 6o matter and also to prevent maliciousinterference with the locking member 3, presently described.

The plate 2 is permanently secured by suitable fastening means, asscrews 10, to the support B and is formed with a vertical dovetail rib11, which fits with a sliding fit in the groove 5, so as to form asliding interlocking connection between the plates 1 and 2. The frontside of this rib (which is tubular) is also formed with a transverseslot or opening 12 to receive the locking member3, whereby the plates 1and 2 are held from sliding endwise one upon the other. The lower sideof the opening 12 is provided with a central raised portion 13', whichenters a central opening in the locking member 3 and prevents the latterfrom being accidentally or maliciously turned on its axis sufficient topermit the removal of one plate from the other, the opening 12 being ofsufficient depth vertically to permit the mail-box and its plate 1 to beelevated, so that the locking member 3 will clear the projection 13 whenit is rocked to its unlocked position, as shown by dotted lines in Fig.2.

In order to relieve the locking member from undue strain incidental tothe weight of the letter-box, the plate 2 is extended downwardly and isformed with a hook or shoulder 14L, which engages the lower edge of thewall A, and thereby supports the full weight of the box.

The locking member 3 consists of a short semicircular metal tube havingits flat side provided with opposite vertical trunnions 15, which arejournaled in suitable bearings 16 between the wall A and plate 1 atopposite sides of the openings 6 and/T, while the convex side is adaptedto be rocked by hand rearwardly into the opening 12 or forwardly intothe interior of the mail-box. In the use of these interlocking plates 1and 2 more or less space is left between the rear side of the mailboxand its support, as B, which might permit access to malicious removal ofthe fasten ing screws or bolts which secure the plate 2 to its supportB, and to prevent this the opposite upright edges of said plate are madeto form wings 17, which diverge inwardly or forwardly in close proximityto or against the wall A, so that the interlocking members of the plates1 and 2 and their fastening means and also the locking member 3 areentirely inclosed and concealed by said Wings in addition to the hood 9and shoulder 14.

The locking member 8 is accessible only from the interiorof the box, andtherefore can be unlocked only by authorized attendants having a key tothe box.

In operation assuming that the plate 1 and locking member 8 are properlyafiixed to the mail-box and that the plate 2 is secured in position upona post or other support then to place the box in position the member 3is first rocked by hand till its convex side is facing the interior ofthe box, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 3, after which the mail-box islifted until the lower end of the dovetail groove 5 is'registered withthe upper end of the dovetail rib l1, whereupon the box is lowered untilits lower edge engages the hook-shoulder 14. The box is now held in anupright position by the interlocked plates 1 and 2 and shoulder 14; butit may be moved upward, and in order to prevent this the operatorreaches into the box and after slightly elevating it, so that thelocking member 3 will clear the projection 13, said rocking member isrocked by the finger until its convex side is forced through the opening12, when the box is allowed to drop onto the shoulder 1 andtheprojection 13 to enter the locking member.

' d The mail-discharge opening in the box is then closed and its closurelocked by the usual key.

It is to be understood that when the box is thus mounted it rests Whollyupon the shoulder 14: and 'not upon the locking member 3 nor hood 9, asthe latter covers but just clears the top of the plate 2.

. Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tose'cure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with a mail-box having an opening in one side, asupporting-plate having sliding interlocking connection with the mailboxand provided with an opening registered with the former opening, alocking member hinged to one of the parts and movable into and out ofsaid openings and a shoulder on the plate engaging and holding themail-box separate from the locking member. 2. In combination with amail-box and a supporting-plate having a shoulder on which the boxrests, said box and plate having registered openings, and a lockingmember movable into and out of the openings and locking the box andplate against separate vertical movement.

3. In combination with amail-box and a supporting plate, one part havinga dovetail groove and the other part having a dovetail rib fitting inthe groove, said box and plate each having an opening registered withthe other, a locking member pivoted to the box and swinging into and outof said openings and a shoulder on the plate on which the box rests torelieve the locking member from the weight of the box.

4. In combination with a mail-box and a supporting plate, one parthaving a dovetail groove and the other part having a dovetail ribfitting in the groove, said box and plate each having an openingregistered with the other, a locking member pivoted to the box andswinging into and out of said openings and a shoulder on the plate onwhich the box rests to relieve the locking member from the Weight of thebox, and ribs on the plate at opposite sides of the opening andprojecting toward the box to conceal the locking member.

5. In combination with a mail-box and a supporting plate, one parthaving a dovetail groove, and the other part having a dovetail ribfitting in the groove, said box and plate each having an openingregistered with the other, a locking member pivoted to the'box andswinging into and out of said openings and a shoulder on the plate onwhich the box rests to relieve the locking member from the weight of thebox, and a hood projecting from the box over the top ofthe groove andrib.

6. In combination with a mail-box and a supporting plate, one parthaving a dovetail groove, and the other part having a dovetail 'ribfitting in the groove, said box and plate each having an'openingregistered with the other, a locking member pivoted to the box andswinging into and out of said openings and a shoulder on the plate onwhich the box rests to relieve the locking member from the Weight of thebox and ribs on the plate at opposite sides of the opening andprojecting toward the box to conceal the locking member,

and a hood projecting from the box over the top of the groove and rib.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 21st day ofSeptember, 1904.

EMILUS F. VVALLAOE.

Witnesses:

MILDRED M. No'r'r, H. E. CHASE.

